The Heaton File

Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. (Zephaniah 1:7)

The Day Of The Lord Is At Hand

Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah began reigning at the age of eight. His kingdom would be the final vestige of truth and righteousness in the remaining kingdom of Judah before God would destroy Jerusalem and send His chosen people into seventy-year captivity by the hand of the Babylonians. In little over fifty years the nation of Israel would be no more. The final day of wrath promised by God through the prophets was coming to bear upon an unruly, rebellious and ever increasingly wicked people. Zephaniah would be one of the final voices seeking to bring the people back to the Lord but knowing the heart of the people would not listen. It was time to remind the world of the wrath of God. Zephaniah brings a piercing and harsh reality to Judah to the nature and character of the fury of the Lord. His message begins with the declaration that God will utterly consume all things from off the land including man and beast, birds of the heaven, fish of the sea and all those who deny the power of God. Baal worship had corrupted the minds of the people as they fell headlong into the wickedness of idolatry and immorality but these things would be cut off and destroyed. For those who turned the backs from following the Lord and have not sought or inquired of the Lord would be destroyed. The day of the Lord was at hand. Judgment day had arrived and the warnings were posted for all to see. A sacrifice has been prepared and the guests invited. All those who are guilty will be punished from the princes and the king’s children to the common man. The land had been filled with the violence of greed, avarice, and lusts but these storehouses would be destroyed. Complacent hearts are to be awakened to the reality of the wrath of God. Many men think God will not do good or evil and they look at the Creator of the world as merely a puppet of man’s own design. Nothing will be further from the truth when the judgment of God comes upon Judah. Their goods will be plundered, houses laid waste, vineyards empty and the prosperity of the land will be destroyed. The great day of the Lord was near. It was a day of wrath, trouble, distress, devastation, desolation, darkness, gloominess, clouds and thick darkness, trumpets, and alarms against fortified cities and high towers. There would be no escape. Because they have sinned against the Lord He would rain down judgment in His fury on a disobedient and rebellious people. Their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like manure. Nothing will be able to save them in the great and terrible day of the Lord.

Zephaniah’s message is powerful with a clear message of God’s wrath. In less than two thousand words the prophet declares a warning to Judah, the scope of divine judgment with the hope of God’s mercy in repentance and promise of redemption. With few years left as the nation of the Lord, Israel stood on the brink of the coming wrath of God. The day of the Lord was at hand. It came and fulfilled all the promises of God described by Zephaniah and the other prophets. Complacency can easily sway the mind to disbelieve a day of wrath is coming but the message of the prophets echoes through the centuries the same message to rebellious man. The character of the Lord God has remained unchanged and while Israel is no more there is a day of judgment coming for all men that will be filled with the same wrath and cleansing as promised by the prophets. Denying the anger of the Lord against unrighteousness does not remove the stark reality of His wrath. God is not willing that any man should perish but He has prepared a place to punish those who are disobedient. It is real, it is huge and it is a powerful testimony to the nature of a righteous God. Most men deny God and many of those who believe in God deny the nature of His severity. Zephaniah illustrates the impact of the anger of the Lord against all unrighteousness.

There is always a message of redemption offered when the wrath of God is preached. God is not a vengeful God that is without mercy and kindness. He is angry about sin and will punish those who disobey Him because He is righteous and His judgments are true. Jerusalem would be redeemed in the spirit of Jesus Christ as the gospel is preached first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of God’s grace. The nation of God is no longer bound by physical demographics but the spiritual habitation of the kingdom of Christ found in the church of Christ. Jesus purchased the church to redeem all those who would come to the Son of God seeking the forgiveness of sins through His blood and cleansing in baptism. Glory awaits all those who will embrace the eternal grace of God and His divine mercy. However, rebellion and disobedience will usher the wrath of God upon the hearts of all those who will trifle with the righteous character of the Lord God Almighty. The day of the Lord is real and it is coming upon the disobedient just as certain as the words of Zephaniah foretold the coming wrath upon Jerusalem. There is nothing more frightening and terrible as the day of the Lord against unrighteousness. Zephaniah offers a glimpse of the severity of God that all men must know and heed. The day of the Lord is at hand. He has prepared a sacrifice and He has invited His guests. Be silent in the presence of the Lord God.

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven. (Mark 13:24-27)

Looking At The Son

Children learn from an early age not to look directly at the sun. Parents warn children of the dangers of staring into the glare of the incredibly luminous visage of the center of the solar system. The brilliance of an early morning sun reminds the soul of the enormity of the power contained within the burning ball of hot plasma. No one can look into the sun without being blinded as everything else is shut out and only the brilliant glow of the sun envelops the senses with its raw beauty. The closer the eye comes to focus on the center of the sun the more all other things diminish until nothing is seen but the image of the atomic power of a star 94 million miles away. Jesus was asked about the signs when the judgment of the Lord would come. His reply to the disciples, the Christ illustrated the coming of the Lord when He said the Son of Man would come in the clouds with great power and great glory. Parabolically, Jesus tells of the coming judgment upon Israel and shows the signs of the time when the Lord will return a second time apart from sin for salvation. In either case, the visage of the Lord will make His presence known upon the people.

The judgment of God upon Israel was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the Roman Empire destroyed the city of Jerusalem thus bringing to a close the nation of Israel. For all those living today the judgment of God will come in the form of the final day of judgment upon all men when the heavens and earth will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. The apostle Paul describes this day as a time when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of Christ. For the saints, this will be a day of glory as they are able to stare into the presence of One who is brighter than the sun and to admire the beauty of His radiance. Imagine being able to stare at a source of light more brilliant than the sun and suffer no harm. The saved will look into the face of Jesus Christ with no harm because His love will fill their souls with eternal salvation. The warmth of everlasting glory will flow through their bodies as a new tabernacle is formed for the everlasting dwelling with the Heavenly Father. The sun will have been destroyed by the Son whose brilliance and glory is brighter than ten billion stars. All men will see this at the coming of God’s Son but for most this will be a vision of terror at the sight of such brilliance. Staring in the face of Jesus, the Son of Man will bring eternal destruction to all those who refused to acknowledge Him in life.

Jesus wants all men to look at Him and Him alone. He is the only way to the Father, the only truth that will give man peace and the only life anyone can find in eternal rest. There are no other avenues to salvation. Like the physical sun, staring into the face of Jesus will obliterate all other things to be seen but unlike the sun will not bring harm but eternal good. The more one looks into the face of Jesus as the Son of God and Savior, the less the world is seen and recognized. Satan’s ploy is to have men take their eyes off of Jesus and look upon a world that is filled with the greenery of temptation, lust, and passion. Men have a desire to live in darkness rather than light lest their evil deeds are revealed. Coming to the light of Jesus exposes their evil hearts and they do not want to have their corruption found out. Those who come to the truth come to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. The difference for all men is defined by those who live in the light of God’s Son or those who live in the darkness of the devil’s wickedness. Only in the Son of God will man find hope and glory. Live in the Son of God letting His light dwell in the heart and when the final day comes when the sun is destroyed the Son will save. Do not look at the sun but do everything within your power to look at the Son. Your eternal destiny depends on which you look at.

And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ” Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. (Joshua 4:1-9)

Twelve Stones Of Memorial

A memorial commemorates an event or a person that made an impact on others. Cemeteries are filled with stone memorials honoring the lives of loved ones inscribed with names, dates and short eulogies. Holidays are set aside to recognize an event in history and the lives of great men and women who changed the world. Memorials were not created by man but established by the Creator from the beginning of time. Moses reveals that Cain and Abel brought offerings to the Lord God as a memorial of worship. Nothing is recorded in Genesis of the origins of the requirement but it is clear God required them to offer sacrifices as a memorial. When the children of Israel prepare to enter the Promised Land, the crossing begins with establishing a memorial. What this great nation was about to do was a monumental journey fulfilling a promise made many generations before to Abraham. Canaan had been promised to Israel and the day had come when this promise was fulfilled. As they were delivered by the hand of the Lord in crossing the Red Sea the entrance into a land of promise would come by the powerful hand of the Lord. The priest bore the ark of the covenant to the edge of the Jordan River and as their feet dipped in the edge of the water, the water stood in a heap very far away and the ground was dried up where they stood. Israel crossed the Jordan opposite Jericho as the priest stood in the midst of the Jordan until all the people had crossed completely. The Lord tells Joshua to instruct the people to remove twelve stones from out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm and to leave them in the place where they would lodge that night. The memorial stones would be a sign among the people in telling the story of the power of God’s deliverance to bring Israel over the Jordan River on dry land. When children would ask the meaning of the stones, the story of the crossing of Jordan would impress upon the hearts of the young souls the power, grace, and mercy of God to bring the people into the land by His mighty hand.

The memorial of stones served the purpose intended by the Lord to remind them how they came to be the nation of God. In the Law of Moses, there were many things that constantly returned the minds of the people to the care and protection of the Lord. When the author of the book of Joshua wrote of the history of Israel he noted the stones remained in the place where they were first taken out of the Jordan many years before. The memorial was still having its impact on the story of how Israel came into the land. A memorial intends to take the mind back to an event and signify certain lessons gleaned from the experience. Israel needed to be reminded of how they came into the land of milk and honey. It was not by their power, their wisdom or their foresight they conquered Canaan. They could not find a way out of Egypt until the Lord delivered them. Israel became a nation through the power of God. Crossing the Jordan, conquering Jericho, inhabiting the land and becoming a prosperous nation came by the hand of the Lord. Twelve stones near the Jordan River reminded them whose power had brought them to victory. The memorial served the purpose to establish the truth. No one could say the people crossed Jordan but by the hand of the Lord. To stop the flow of the Jordan River during the flood season was beyond the power of man. Nothing but the mighty hand of the Lord God made that possible. Joshua told the people the memorial stones let all the peoples of the earth know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that all men may fear the Lord God forever. Gilgal became the place of remembrance as the twelve stones memorialized the victory of God over nations, people and nature itself.

There are memorials today like the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River. The Bible is the greatest memorial given to man. It tells the story of the beginning of the world as God placed a man and woman in the Garden of Eden and the tragic fall that came when they failed to obey the will of the Father. Page upon page reveals the grace of God as men find hope in faith to believe the word of the Lord. Throughout holy writ, the unveiling of the redemption in Christ is unfolded in the divine plan of a loving Father willing to give His only Son as a sacrifice for sin. The Bible tells the story of Jesus Christ who is the divine memorial of grace to bring man back to his God. Contained in the great memorial of scripture are the memorials of worship like singing praise to the Father, offering up memorial sacrifices of prayer and devoting time each first day of the week to remember the memorial of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Obedience is a memorial as faith is necessary accompanied by repentance to change one’s heart. In the waters of baptism, the memorial of the death of Jesus is fulfilled to wash away sins. Disciples of the Lord offer up their bodies as living memorials, holy, acceptable to God as a sacrifice of love. Walking in the light is a memorial to the love of God from the heart of the child of God. The life of a Christian is everything a memorial to God. Their speech, dress, attitudes, hope, and love for others let others see the power of God working in their lives. Joshua told the Israelites the twelve stones would tell the world the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty. Today, the world will know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, when they see the life of a Christian living each day as a memorial to Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

From Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:17-21)

The Preacher And The Shepherds

The saints and faithful in Christ Jesus who were in Ephesus had a special place in the heart of the apostle Paul. On his third missionary journey, the preacher had spent three years laboring in this capital city of proconsular Asia and had drawn very close to the elders and disciples of the church filled with the love of God. It was a successful and abundant work of bringing the Jews and Greeks from all over Asia to know the Christ, the risen Savior. Paul had never stayed in one place for such a length of time in his journeys but this was a rich and rewarding experience. Leaving Ephesus the apostle made his way to Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth before beginning his return trip to Jerusalem which held an uncertain future. As he sailed for the western coast of Palestine Paul stopped in Miletus, about 30 miles south of Ephesus. It was here he sent a message to the elders of Ephesus to visit with him as he made his journey to Jerusalem. Crossing the arduous journey, the shepherds of the Ephesian church joined Paul for what would become their final time to see him face to face. There was much on the mind of Paul as he reflected upon the work at Ephesus and the good work that had been done in that area. The church was strong and vibrant and guided by the hand of capable men serving as the local bishops of the church, the work of the Lord would grow and prosper. There were warnings to be heeded. Satan was trying to destroy the church at Ephesus and John the apostle would later record the challenge of their love being diminished as he penned the Revelation. For now, Paul wanted to talk with the elders and exhort them to steadfastness and resolved to remain faithful to the cause of Christ.

Paul had shared much with the shepherds of Ephesus in the three years of his labor. His relationship with them was not one of an overpowering dominance because of his apostleship. He was a diligent worker for the kingdom and understood the importance of the role of elders. The manner of Paul’s life among the disciples in Ephesus was one of humility serving with the shepherds to teach the gospel of Christ. There were many tears and trials shared because of the resistance of the Jews against the church but this did not dissuade the elders or discourage Paul. They continued to work together to teach publically and from house to house the power of the gospel and to establish the truth of God’s word. Paul worked diligently with the elders to help them establish a firm foundation of truth. He was unashamed to show the error of those who would oppose the gospel whether Jew or Greek. His message was simple but powerful: repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. In companionship with the leaders of the church, Paul helped to keep the word of truth as the purpose and design of the church. The elders of the church were entrusted to oversee the church and as a shepherd cares for a flock of sheep, these men would shepherd the church of God which Jesus purchased with His own blood.

A time would come when spiritual wolves would enter among the church at Ephesus and seek to destroy it. In the years to follow, the church would turn away from the truth and disappear from the pages of history. Paul’s warnings would ring through the centuries of what becomes of churches that do not take heed to the work of teaching the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Preachers must preach the word of God alone and the shepherds of the church must stand in defiance to the modern innovations of spiritual novelties that seek to mold the church to the standards of the world. Elders are the overseers of the church given authority by God to lead and guide the hearts of the disciples among them. Preachers have their place in the local congregation and the work is a daily service of public teaching and sharing the gospel from house to house. With humility, these proclaimers of the word help guide the hearts and minds of the disciples to the word of God under the leadership of men who watch out for their souls like shepherds caring for sheep. Preachers and elders working together to bring glory to the church and accomplish the awesome task of bringing lost souls to Christ is what the Holy Spirit inscribed on the pages of the new covenant. The pattern of the New Testament church is the pattern the church should follow in every generation. Preachers and elders working together in the spirit of humility keep back nothing that is helpful proclaiming the gospel of Christ is the church Jesus died for.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

The Greatest Memorial

A day of memorial is a special time to think more deeply about those who gave their all to secure the freedoms enjoyed in this country. Every nation is built upon the blood of those willing to die for the establishment of their country. For many, this is an involuntary death but obedient to the laws of the land they serve and give their all. Regardless of the intent or design of their service, myriads have died in battle fighting against foes that seek to destroy their ideals of theology, culture, politics, and way of life. Memorial Days are remembered on both sides of the conflict. This day is not measured by who is right or the oppressor. A common thread in all battles is that death brings sorrow to all men, good and evil. Some men fight to ensure freedom and others battle to oppress their will on others. Conflict has been the tragic consequence of sin since the day Cain rose up in the field and killed his brother Abel. The first day of memorial came when Adam and Eve buried their son and for years to come pondered the meaning of how real death was. The world fell into decay and wickedness because of sin as nations rose against other nations and through every generation death became so familiar. Fallen warriors were remembered for the valiant courage to fight and die for the cause of the nation. More than two hundred years ago another nation was founded on the blood of freedom-seeking patriots who desired a placed of their own by their own laws. During these turbulent centuries, wars have been fought with other nations and among themselves in a great conflict of civil war. Millions have died in the brief history of the United States of America and it is fitting to reflect on a day of Memorial for those who gave their all.

A constant reminder each year is the sad reality of the many families impacted by the death of those who have served. In every case, there is a son or daughter taken from loved ones as they served in a place of honor. The greater reality is this day will continue as long as the world stands because of the reasons behind wars and conflict. Memorial days remind all men of the reality of death and that in every century the march of the grim reaper will continue unabated. In every nation, there will be families torn apart in the death of their loved ones as conflicts continue among peoples and nations. John Lennon may have imagined a world without war but the reality is that sin is the root of death. No man could solve the problem of sin and the consequence of death. Marble headstones will continue to abound on the face of the earth because there is a certainty that has been in place since that fateful day in a place called Eden. Loved ones die because of sin. Soldiers give their all in death because of the consequence of sin. The devil is the root of man’s problem and as a result of disobedience to the Creator, man is separated from the tree of life. All men die – this will not change. Memorial days will never cease as death is constant. The only answer found in a day of memorial is to know what God has done to release man from the sting of death and victory of the grave. Two thousand years ago the Lord God established a memorial that will solve the problem of sin. God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son to die – not for a nation or a certain group of people – but for all men regardless of nationality, heritage or age. Jesus Christ became the eternal memorial because of the consequence of sin. He gave His all so that all could be free.

God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through the death of His Son might be saved from the horrible nature of sin. What makes this gift so memorial is because this sacrifice was the eternal Son of God who did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped and willingly died for all men. His sacrifice was not forced or coerced. It was neither an accident that Jesus died nor a mistake by the eternal Father to allow His Son to die. Jesus gave His life freely. No man has ever died as Jesus died. Within the power of the Son of God was to call twelve legions of angels to defend Him but Jesus chose to die. His death was the cruelest because He had never committed a sin – not one. All of those remembered on a Memorial Day may have died in noble character but all men that died were victims of sin. God so loved the world He gave His Son as the cost for the sins of all men. There is no greater love, no greater sacrifice, no incredible gift or thought than the memorial of Jesus Christ who through love gave His life to save – me – to save you. The cross of Jesus is the eternal Memorial of a gift given by the One who formed man from the dust of the ground. His only desire was to save man. God does not desire for any man to perish in perdition and in trust gave His Son so that all men could find hope and joy in death. May our hearts rejoice in the Memorial of God through His Son Jesus Christ.

For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

For God So Loved The World

For a period of time in history, the nation of Israel was the special treasure of God. Born from the bondage of a foreign land that oppressed the children of Jacob for hundreds of years, Israel would rise to a status, unlike any nation the world had ever seen. At its zenith, the Hebrews were the most blessed and powerful nation man would ever see. It was not because of the expanse of their land holdings or the size of their army that made Israel a formidable nation but the God that created the small nation from His love and His promise. Israel was a people elected by the Creator of the world to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. Of all the great masses that came from the dispersion of Babel to present day, there has never been a more blessed group of individuals where God has shown Himself in His power, love, protection, benevolence, and care. They did not number more than any other nation. Of those who came from Egypt, they numbered six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. Including women and others, the nation of Israel was small compared to all other peoples. The Lord notes they were the smallest of all peoples. God did not choose Israel because they were more numerous than all other nations but because He loved them and He had made a promise to Abraham. As a faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations the Lord chose the Hebrews as an act of love and faithfulness. Sadly, Israel would enjoy the favor of the Lord God for a short period of history as they rejected His love like a wife to a faithful husband committing spiritual whoredom with the nations around them. After repeated pleas to return to the covenant established at Sinai through His servant Moses, Israel lost their favor in the eyes of God. Redemption would come through the final act of rebellion when the Jews killed the Son of God refusing to accept Jesus as the Christ. The Roman authorities were complicit in the murder of Jesus accounting the wrath of God upon them. God established a new covenant through the blood of Christ. Israel was no longer the special treasure of the Lord.

God’s love for Israel was the basis for Him choosing them. He had promised Abraham that He would create this great people that would number as the stars in the heavens. Because of their sin, Israel was rejected by the Lord. Salvation can only come through the name of Jesus Christ and the offering of God to man today remains the same. Like Israel of old, the chosen people of God are those whom He has loved above all others and to whom He had made a promise. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save man, redeem Him from the penalty of sin and fulfill a promise made in the Garden of Eden. No longer an earthly kingdom but a kingdom eternal in the heavens, the kingdom of God is made up of the chosen vessels of God’s love. The sacrifice of Jesus is the offering of the Lord to show His great love for all men. That salvation did not come because of anything man has done to deserve such love. It was not because there were billions of people on earth. Nothing man did warrants the grace of God to be given to him. In fact, everything man did prove that he did not deserve or merit the love, grace, and kindness of the Lord. Mankind had become a putrid world of darkness that would murder in the most horrible manner the only Son of God. If the truth of man’s sin was clearly understood the wrath of God should have utterly destroyed the universe where men dwelt but God did not do that. He loved man and chose to save Him.

One of the most important characters of the Lord God is that He cannot lie. This is absolute. There is no changing and vacillating with uncertainty. When Adam and Eve did exactly what the Lord told them not to do in taking the forbidden fruit, the grace of God made a promise to save them. He told them a Seed would come that would redeem the world and that Seed was Jesus Christ. No promise of God has ever failed. Salvation is offered to all men today because God made a promise that He would offer a way of escape. It would not come through the sacrificial offerings of animals or the failed righteousness of good men. The promise made by the Father in the Garden of Eden had already been defined before time began to be the literal sacrifice of God in the form of a man. Jesus came in the flesh and suffered every pain of humanity including the horror of the crucifixion so that all men could find peace through His blood. The death of Jesus was the fulfillment of the Eden promise that came from the love of God. What does man have to glory in? Is there anything men can say they have done that deserves this kind of love? Salvation came from the love of God and the fulfillment of the promise made in the garden. Thank God for His love and for His faithfulness.

Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. (Hebrews 13:7)

Follow Their Faith

The Hebrew writer is exhorting the early Christian to remain faithful to the covenant of Christ not giving up their faith and hope in the great High Priest and author of eternal salvation. As he closes his message he reminds the disciples to consider those who guided them through the study of God’s word establishing them in the fervent truth of righteousness and hope of eternal life. It is clear there were those who had a tremendous influence on the lives of the saints by the example, teaching, guidance, rule, and conduct of life. Serving the Lord by keeping the commandments and precepts of the law are important and necessary. There is a need for men to teach other men to be faithful to the word emphasizing the truths of fidelity to the will of the Father. One of the most important parts of a disciple’s life is to look to those individuals who have spoken the word of God to them seeking to follow their faith as they emulate the character of Jesus Christ. This puts the responsibility on two parties: the first on the ones doing the teaching and secondly on those who are the students. James would write that few need to be teachers of the word because there is greater accountability for the words taught. Every teacher of God’s word must be eternally warned of the consequence of not handling aright the word of truth. One reason is that others will follow in their footsteps. If their lives are not guided by the word of God others will follow the same course. Honor should be given to those who have taught the word of God and to remember their lives as they seek to follow the will of the Lord.

Following the faith of others is a daunting responsibility. Leadership in the church must be found in men who are able to exemplify by their lives holy conduct worthy of imitation. This character comes from emulating the life of Christ. Their speech, manner of life, conduct in business, concepts of morality, knowledge of the word and benevolence are just a few of the patterns worthy to follow. Examining the faith of another man is the model the Hebrew writer exhorts his readers to consider. This does not suggest perfection as found in Jesus but men who strive to mold their hearts under the grace of God. Following the faith of another is trusting in the manner they walk in life and to have a willingness to follow in their steps. Humility is the cloak of grace that bestows the heart of leaders that know others look to them for guidance and help. These are people of the Book thoroughly versed in the word implanting the spirit of God in their lives. Their families are models of the righteousness of God as leaders in the home. In the business world, their example is one of truth, fairness, and justice. All that know these leaders are impressed with their love for God and desire to help others seek eternal life.

There is a lesson found in which the example of those who rule over them will be considered for the outcome of their conduct. Whether these leaders were living at the time the Hebrew writer uses them to admonish the Hebrews is not known but the result is the desire to look at their lives and see how the word of God molded, changed and created a place of spiritual leadership that others could follow. The younger generation must look to the older generation and see what life is like when lived within the principles of righteousness and truth. In large part, because the evidence of a life lived under the holy guidance of scripture will be manifested by those whose faith can be followed. Considering the outcome of a person’s conduct is the real litmus test of a life lived for God. Knowing the word of God and putting the word to the test of life are two separate things. Remembering those who rule over them teaching them the word is best served by the outcome of their lives under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The way of the Lord is right and when followed will bring the spiritual rewards of faithfulness. Following this type of faith will also bring reward to the student. May the cloud of witnesses be filled with the evidence of lives lived for God for all to emulate and follow.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)

Our God Is Exclusionary

In the spirit of compromise, men will find ways to agree to unite under one flag of acceptance of all types of gods, faiths, religions, and dogmas. The language will be used like “coexist” or “unified with diversity” and acceptance across the board that all men believe in the same God but call Him by different names. This allows the Jew, Moslem, Buddhist, Catholic, atheist, Taoist and every known form of religion to share the same world stage of acceptance. It is considered anti-religious to criticize another man’s religion. This is especially true within the confines of the Christian religion made up of over a thousand different kinds of faiths and churches bearing as many names as cereal boxes in a grocery store. Again, in the spirit of religious détente, all men seek to dwell together as one speaking the same language with the same god. In reality, an examination of the Bible will reveal the author of the book declared an exclusionary faith that eliminates all other religions and attempts by men to recreate the church of Christ defined by the New Testament covenant of grace. It is difficult to accept the teachings of those who deny Jesus is the Son of God in light of scripture. The Jews, Moslems, Buddhist, and Taoist do not accept that Jesus of Nazareth was the divine Son of God. Without this fundamental faith, Jesus said no man can be saved. An atheist does not believe in God so he has no use for the Bible.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, writes there is only one body which he earlier had described as the church. In a world filled with thousands of different kinds of churches, the word of Paul seems to fade into insignificance. Jesus did not come to earth so that men could choose the church of their choice or worship as they seemed fitting. The Lord came to die for one body which is His Bride the one church. There is only one church and that church is not defined by the dogmas of men. That one church is declared on the pages of the New Testament. God is exclusionary about the church. The apostle further states there is only one Spirit showing the unity of the Godhead as there is only one Holy Spirit. Many religions deny the existence of the Holy Spirit as a personal being like God the Father and Christ the Son but there is one Holy Spirit and the Bible is the manifestation of His eternal nature and character. Religions of the world offer men many different hopes through the teachings of their beliefs but Paul said the only hope of eternal value is found in the one hope of the one God. Calling on the name of the Lord is the only hope a man can have. There is no hope in the Mosaical law, dogmas of Catholicism, teachings of Confucius or Buddha or Muhammad or churches established by men in the last five hundred years. God is exclusionary when it comes to the Holy Spirit and eternal hope.

When a religion denies that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God, there can be no hope and no promise of eternal life. Jesus Himself declared He was the only way, the only truth, and the only life and no man could come to the Father but by Him. If all men are united under a flag of compromise they have to exclude Jesus from the circle because He teachings all others are false. Paul writes there is one Lord and one faith because there is only one Lord and there is only one faith. Coexistence is impossible because Jesus said it was impossible. The fundamental truth of eternal salvation is predicated upon the knowledge that Jesus rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father. His tomb is empty and has been for two thousand years. All the tombs of the Popes are still filled along with the burial place of Muhammed, Buddha, Confucius, Martin Luther, Joseph Smith and every author of religious division. God is exclusive when it comes to His Son Jesus Christ and the faith of the gospel. There is only one baptism because there is only one way a man can have his sins washed away. This is particularly difficult for many who believe in Jesus as the Christ to accept the necessity of baptism. The reason there is only one baptism is that there is only one door into salvation. Without the waters of baptism washing away sins, there is no hope and promise. And who declared the exclusionary nature of eternal life? The one God and Lord of all who bears His holy name as one to be revered as the only God and the only truth and the only hope of Heaven. God is very exclusionary because He is the only God. The Bible is the only body of truth given to men. It declares ONE GOD!

Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman. (Proverbs 21:9)

Stay Off The Roof

When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, it was a place of unmeasurable peace and happiness. Sin changed the purpose of the home and would lead to Cain killing his brother Abel and the world falling into a state of wickedness that demanded the wrath of God. The joy and peace of the home designed by God have been challenged by the wiles of the devil since the fall of man. Many homes are not bastions of God’s grace but battlefields of warfare between husbands and wives who yell and scream at one another and parents who berate and scold the children. Contentions in the home do not come from the mind of God. The wise man suggested it would be better for a man to expose himself to the occasional fits of nature like rain or wind than to dwell in a house with a quarrelsome, brawling and nagging wife. God did not design the home to be a place of confusion. There are many things in the world that bring sorrow, heartache, and pain but the home should be a place of safety, security, and peace.

Contentious women who demand from their husbands are not showing the humility of subjection demanded by the Lord. Homes that are characterized by shouting, cursing, arguing and conflict are not homes built upon the rock of Jesus Christ and the love of God. Husbands and wives who contend with one another and then come to worship the Lord together show their children the hypocrisy of godliness that is lacking in their lives. These principles are not new to the covenant with Christ. Moses described the home as a place of gentle rest before sin knocked on the door. Under the Law of Moses, the home was to be a place of truth and righteousness. Jesus taught the sanctity of the home is characterized in the spirit of children. Paul wrote many letters admonishing the early Christians to be models of the gospel of Christ by the examples of husbands, wives, parents, and children. Contention in the home is not the eternal plan of God. It would be better for a man to be exposed to the elements of weather than to live in a house where fussing and arguing characterizes the spirit of the woman. As Dee Bowman said, “It is hard to sin when one is thinking about God.” Quarrelsome homes are not thinking about God. Instead of a man dwelling on the housetop, the family needs to resolve to change their hearts to serve the will of the Lord. Husbands must love their wives as Christ loved the church. He shows his love by nourishing and cherishing his wife giving honor to her. Wives are to be in subjection to the husband in everything showing respect for him and giving him the honor established by the word of God. Husbands are not to be bitter toward their wives and children are to obey their parents in all things and this will please the Lord. Following the Biblical pattern of the home will bring peace, happiness, and joy to the husband and wife and keep the man off the roof.

“Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,” says the Lord; “and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,” says the Lord, “and work; for I am with you,” says the Lord of hosts. “According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!” (Haggai 2:4-5)

Be Strong And Do Not Fear

After seventy years of divine punishment in a foreign land, the children of God are brought back to the land of promise with little to show for the glory of the former nation of Israel. The land is in ruin and the hearts of the people are discouraged facing many obstacles and trials in settling the land long abandoned. Jerusalem remains largely in ruins with its walls torn down and gates burned. The once glorious Temple of Solomon is nothing but barren rock. Hopes are diminished and spirits are low. Under the leadership of men like Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, worship is restored at Jerusalem. Two years after returning from the captive land, work begins on rebuilding the temple but there is resistance and opposition. In the face of concerted efforts by those who were not allowed to be a part of the rebuilding, work on the temple is halted for eighteen years. Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. In less than a month, work was resumed and the temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius king of Persia. Four years earlier Haggai spoke to the people exhorting them to have courage and not allow the distractions of those opposing the work to keep them from the glory of God’s work.

The leaders of remnant Israel had become discouraged. Zerubbabel and Joshua needed to have their faith lifted to complete the work of building the temple and Haggai delivered the much-needed message. God tells these men to be strong and work for the cause of righteousness and the glory of the Lord. There are times when the heart weakens after times of distress or change. When Moses died and Joshua was commissioned to lead the people over the Jordan into the promised land, the Lord told the son of Nun to be strong and of good courage. Crossing the turbulent waters of trial the heart can become afraid and inactive. The temple needed to be built and even though there was opposition and for eighteen years the foes of God’s purpose had succeeded, the time for revival had come. Through the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the hearts of its leaders and the people of Israel were admonished to be strong and not fear for the Lord was on their side. One of the great dangers of discouragement is what happened to the people. The work had stopped. There was no activity to rebuild the temple for nearly two decades. God’s house remained in ruin and the hearts of the people had given up. Now through the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the fire of devotion had stirred the people to work diligently to complete the temple. Leaders often need that nudge to attain greater heights of accomplishment when they face trials. Zerubbabel and Joshua had been unproductive for many years but the time had come for them to grow strong and not fear those who stood against the will of the Father. Courage and faith were needed and Haggai delivered that message clearly.

Jesus promised to build His church and the will of God brought forth the eternal promise of the Lord on the day of Pentecost. What made this day powerful was the sermon Peter preached that Jesus had died but He had raised to reign at the right hand of the Father. The church began with three thousand souls being added and the New Testament covenant of grace began to be spread throughout the world. Two thousand years removed the church faces discouragement, heartache, and disappointment. In many places churches are dying, some closing doors and others existing on a fare of spiritual bread and water. There is apathy, disinterest, and lack of zeal to build the kingdom of God. Haggai the prophet reminds God’s people to be strong, work hard and do not fear. Nothing will inhibit the work of the Lord and His will is accomplished in every generation. What the Lord needs are workers who are willing to brace the seas of opposition and face the winds of discouragement with faith, courage and a determination to build the kingdom of God according to the pattern. The Spirit of the Lord remains among the faithful who seek to establish the gospel in the hearts of those seeking the truth. Times have changed but the gospel remains the same message to give hope to lost souls. Trying to change the gospel to fit the needs of the people is changing the will of the Lord. Having faith and courage to preach the same message of the New Testament is the courage to build in the face of a world of opposition. Many will not want to hear the plain teaching of God’s word. Leaders of the church should not be discouraged but stand on the truth of the word given by the Spirit of the Lord. Be strong, and work and do not fear because the Lord is with you and will not leave you. Haggai’s message of hope resonates in the ears of the courageous who trust in the will of the Lord to accomplish His work in His way.